Black Swan
by Lykariel
Summary: During Doomsday, Pete Tyler never returned to save Rose and she ended up falling into the Void. However, thanks to a bit of cleverness and a lot of luck the Doctor finds a way to save her. What does their new future together have in store?
1. A Black Swan Event

**AN/** Look who's not dead! For those of you reading 'Run, Wolf Warrior,' I promise I'm still writing it. The next chapter will be up as soon as I get over my current little hurdle. Anyway, here's a nice fresh story to get my muses working. Let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who. Wow, I actually said that without it leaving a bad taste in my mouth... oh wait, there it is.

The beta for this chapter was the King of Soda. Though I admit I've made some slight changes since then but psychoticsimon looked over it for me so hopefully there are no mistakes.

**Chapter 1: A Black Swan Event**

_Black Swan: an event that lies outside the realm of regular expectations, carrying with it an extreme impact._

_

* * *

_

You've heard of Christmas going south but Donna Noble was quite certain that she could take the world prize when it came to disastrous Christmases. She never much did like the holiday. It was all about working overtime, underappreciated presents, re-runs of overplayed Christmas movies, and the endless arguments that always seem to accompany family get-togethers. Not to mention the weather was rubbish.

However, this year was definitely one for the record books. It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Instead she got beamed up to a bigger-on-the-inside-spaceship, harassed by a skinny man in a suit who called himself 'the Doctor,' abducted by a robot in a Santa costume, stuck in the web of a giant omnivorous spider, and informed that her beloved fiancé had been in cahoots with the eight-legged freak from the off.

He'd been poisoning her with huon particles so that they could use her as a key to let the overgrown arachnid's spawn loose on the Earth. And to top it off she'd have to cancel the honeymoon now! It wasn't much of a honeymoon if you never got married and the groom-to-be was spider food.

Taking all of this into consideration, her disdain for the holiday was certainly understandable and more than a little deserved. However, despite her own misery, the one Donna felt most sorry for wasn't herself but instead the ridiculous, skinny man in the suit. He might have acted hyperactive and carefree but it was a farce so transparent that even a blind man could see through it. The Doctor was broken. A vital piece of him was missing and the only person who could make him better had been lost.

Desperately wanting to do something for him, she offered him to come inside for Christmas dinner, knowing he'd decline but feeling the need to ask anyway. She was surprised when he accepted, albeit with some reluctance, however when he disappeared inside the TARDIS and it started to disappear she knew this was goodbye. Not ready to see him leave just yet she called out to him.

She told him to find someone. He had scared her that night and she dreaded to think what might happen if next time there wasn't someone there to stop him. He invited _her_ to travel with him but she ruefully declined. His world just wasn't for her. However, her new year's resolution was to become a truly different person, to travel the world and, as the Doctor had so rightly put it, 'be magnificent.'

After a brief goodbye he closed the door again to leave but there was still one more thing Donna wanted to know. It had been eating at her but she'd yet to work up the courage to ask him. However, if this was her last chance to ask she wasn't going to miss it.

"Doctor?"

"Oh, what is it now?" he asked with mock exasperation as he emerged from the TARDIS yet again.

She asked her question, carefully gauging his reaction. "That friend of yours, what was her name?"

Unsurprisingly, he stiffened immediately and swallowed a lump that seemed to have gathered in his throat. When he spoke, his voice was forced and thick. "Her name was Rose."

As soon as her name passed his lips he retreated back into the TARDIS, closing the doors before Donna could utter another word. The TARDIS then shot up into the night sky, as though going through the usually dematerialisation sequence wasn't a quick enough escape.

Once the Doctor was back in the safe seclusion of the Vortex he allowed himself to sag against the console, his earlier strength failing him. As soon as Donna had asked about Rose he'd felt his control waning. The pain of losing her was still so fresh.

Her last moments kept being played over and over in his mind in an endless loop. He couldn't even close his eyes without being forced to see her pleading form reaching out for him, still believing he could rescue her even as she fell into oblivion. Her desperate screams and the terrified look on her face as that white light engulfed her would be forever etched into his soul. His Rose, lost to the Void. Hell itself.

The Doctor shook his head and rubbed at his eyes in a futile attempt to dispel the cruel images his mind had conjured. Then, with a heavy-hearted sigh he circled the console, brushing his fingers over the controls absently as he prepared to carry out another scan, not even bothering to change out of his sullied suit, sodden from nearly being drowned under the Thames.

Ever since the Battle of Canary Wharf, the Doctor had been relentless in his quest to rescue Rose. He'd run countless scans across the universe, searching every point of Time and Space, desperately looking for some way of getting her back. He'd worked to the point of exhaustion and then kept going because to give up and accept Rose's fate would be unbearable.

However, despite his best efforts, success was nigh on impossible. Breaches in the walls of the Universe were extremely rare and incomprehensively difficult to detect unless you knew where to look, which he didn't. And not only did he have all of Space to search but all of Time as well. The term "needle in a haystack" didn't even begin to compare.

The closest he'd managed to get was a miniscule gap that had still remained from the breach at Canary Wharf, however it had been closing fast and by the time he'd found it, it was so small that even if he'd had the energy the most he'd have been able to manage would have been to send through a projection of himself which wasn't nearly sufficient enough. Besides, it was too late now, it had sealed completely just before Donna had appeared.

The Doctor froze as a though suddenly occurred to him. Huon particles... they had brought Donna here because there were huon particles in the heart of the TARDIS. Rose had looked into the heart of the TARDIS... It was a long shot but maybe, just maybe if he was very, very lucky, she might have retained some of the huon energy, it was extremely resilient stuff after all.

He immediately changed the parameters of his scanners to search for huon particles. If they truly existed in Rose then they would be far easier to detect than a weakness in the outer casing of the universe.

As the scans began he waited on bated breath, silently begging his TARDIS to put everything she had into the search. "Come on, old girl, do it for Rose," he pleaded.

His hearts almost burst in his chest as a positive reading appeared on the monitor with a loud beep. The TARDIS had found something! Without a moment's hesitation the Doctor locked onto the signal and sent his ship hurtling towards it. Common sense told him not to trust such a capricious hope. However, in his desperation to get Rose back, he forsook all reason and blindly put everything he had into making this work.

The TARDIS came to a jarring halt when they were almost directly on top of the signal. The Doctor assumed this was the closest she could get. He ran straight for the doors, taking a single, steadying breath before pulling them open and looking out to where she had taken him.

His blood ran cold. Suspended before him, in the deep blanket of space, was a black hole. Surrounding it were the spiralling reds of nebula and stardust. The crimson rivers careened mesmerizingly above him before cascading into the dark abyss.

"Impossible," he mouthed, staring in horror at the lidless eye before him.

Slamming the doors shut, the Doctor rushed to the console and started a detailed scan of the devouring pit.

It didn't take long for the results to display themselves on the monitor. When they did, the Doctor's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as he read over the data with disbelief.

The centre of the black hole was in a state of stasis. At its heart resided a snapshot of the universe at a particular point in time. This meant that if his luck held out the core of this black hole contained a part of the universe's outer fabric that hadn't been sealed during the Battle of Canary Wharf.

The Doctor looked up towards the ceiling of his beloved ship and for the first time in so many months, he properly grinned. "You've done it," he declared. "You've found a way to save her!"

He spun around the console with newfound purpose and determination, jamming buttons and slamming levers as he went. He even regained his ability to ramble.

"There's a doorway to Rose inside that thing but we can't go after her," he told his ship. "The moment we enter the Void, you'll lose all power and we'll ALL be stuck. BUT thanks to our very good friend, Donna Noble, I have the perfect way of bringing her back."

He spun a dial with exaggerated vigour and pulled emphatically on a lever. "All we have to do is reverse the polarity of your huon flow..." he broke off with a frown. "Why does that sound familiar?" He shrugged it off and continued. "Anyway, do that and it should draw her out like poison from a wound!"

With a triumphant "HA!" he slammed a final lever and held on to the console as the TARDIS shuddered in response to the energy change.

"ALLONS-Y!" he yelled, almost as a battle cry as the shaking became more violent, forcing him to tighten his hold, lest he be swung into one of the coral buttresses. The console began to spark under the strain of her task but the Doctor believed that she could do it. She could sweep Rose from the Void and carry her out from beyond the event horizon of a black hole.

A familiar stream of golden light slowly began to seep into the TARDIS. The Doctor's eyes burned as the light took form. He didn't need to see the yellow locks of hair or the soft pink skin to know who the form was, as a missing piece inside him suddenly fell back into place.

The TARDIS stilled and before the light could even dissipate, the Doctor was straight over to Rose, catching her before her lithe form could hit the cold grating of the TARDIS floor. His hearts nearly burst with the joy of having her in his arms again.

A cold slither of trepidation slid through him as he forced himself to check her vitals, terrified in case he found nothing and all his efforts were in vain. That fear quickly dissipated as he felt a strong heartbeat and saw her chest begin to rise and fall, drinking in oxygen.

Relief washed over him like a tidal wave and he swiftly gathered her up and swept her off to the medical bay. The TARDIS was humming reassuringly in his mind but he refused to take any chances. He gently laid her on a bed and attached a monitoring device to her. Only once he was absolutely sure she was stable did he allow himself to collapse into a conveniently placed chair at her bedside and keep silent vigil.

He sat in reverence of his victory. He'd rescued Rose from the black oblivion of Limbo, a feat so seemingly impossible that it had danced along the borders of hopelessness. He stared at Rose with a mixture of disbelief and wonderment. He was reluctant to trust he could be so lucky, expecting any moment now to wake up in his study and this whole miracle being nothing more than another cruel dream.

However, usually when you suspected a dream of being so it fell apart, yet Rose lay stubbornly solid before him. Therefore he resigned himself to waiting patiently for her to awaken. Patience wasn't one of his strongest qualities but seeing her shining, hazel eyes flutter open to look at him would definitely be worth the wait.

At that moment, the Doctor was aware of nothing save for the sound of his sleeping companion's breathing. His spirit swelled with every rise and fall of her chest, as though their life-forces were intertwined. How had this silly little ape come to mean so much to him? They'd stumbled into each other completely by chance yet her presence had had such a phenomenal impact on him, like a healing balm she'd made him better when war and loss had left him worn and shattered.

People like Rose were rare, as special as finding a black swan. That was Rose, his black swan, an unexpected miracle.

* * *

TBC

So, what do you think? Granted it's only the first chapter so there's hardly much to go by but feedback would still be nice  
Next chapter is finished and will be up soon.


	2. Blue thou art, intensely blue

**AN/** Thank you all so much for your reviews! They really encouraged me to get this updated in time. You should have seen me trying to keep the huge grin off my face!

**Disclaimer:** I own Doctor Who. I also own Santa Clause and all the rainbows. Oh, and daydreams, I own those too so next time your mind starts to wander, you owe me royalties! BAZINGA!  
(Obviously the above isn't true, hence the 'bazinga,' so please don't sue!)

King of Soda started the beta on this and the psychoticsimon did the rest. Hooray for betas! Seriously I make so many mistakes, it's embarrassing...

Chapter 2: Blue thou art, intensely blue

* * *

Less than an hour had passed before Rose began to stir. The Doctor was on his feet in an instant, leaning over her in nervous anticipation. Slowly her eyes opened, taking a moment to focus before settling on the Doctor's own intense orbs.

He said the first thing that came to his mind. "Hello."

She smiled. "Hello," her voice was dry and broken and she had to force her tongue to cooperate but it was enough to cause a huge grin to spread across the Doctor's face.

Her next attempt at speaking was not quite so successful and she ended up coughing instead.

"Hold on," the Doctor rushed to another part of the room before returning moments later with a glass of water. "Drink this."

Sitting up, Rose reached for the glass before greedily drinking the cool, refreshing liquid, relishing in the feel of it massaging her dry throat.

She handed the glass back with a contented sigh. "Thanks."

"Better?" he took the glass and placed it out of the way.

"Much." She looked around the room, only just realising where she was. "What happened?"

The Doctor frowned, not quite sure what she was asking. "What do you remember?"

Mirroring the Doctor's expression, Rose tried to think back, surprised and frustrated at how difficult the task was. Her memories felt like pieces of a dream, scattered and distant. She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing the pieces to come together. Slowly, they started to gravitate towards her, forming images. She saw ghosts, marching Cybermen, a sky full of Daleks. Gradually the images flowed into an order, accompanied by sounds and emotions until at last she remembered with clarity.

"Canary Wharf," she murmured, "Cybermen and Daleks were everywhere."

The Doctor nodded, "that's right, anything else?"

He was taken aback when Rose suddenly shot him a burning glare. "You tried to get rid of me. Again!"

Swallowing thickly, the Doctor replied, "I did."

Her expression softened at the look of regret and apology on his face but her tone remained firm. "Don't do it again."

He nodded. That was an easy command to follow. He doubted he'd even be able to send her away again. Doing it the last time had been almost more than he could bear.

"So, it's over then?"

Her question startled him. "Is what over?"

"The hordes of Daleks and Cybermen having a full battle royale on Earth's doorstep?" she replied dryly, surprised he even needed to ask.

He grinned. "Oh yes, definitely. Torchwood too. Kaput!"

Something in the Doctor's eyes made Rose suspicious. "Doctor?"

"Yes?" he replied, ready for her next question. He couldn't get enough of hearing her voice.

It was strange. She had his full, undivided attention. He wasn't even doing a little jiggery-pokery on some poor, unsuspecting device and he seemed to hang off her every word with his eyes fixed on hers with something akin to wonderment. It was as though he hadn't seen her in... Suddenly Rose clicked. "How long has it been since Canary Wharf?"

She knew she'd hit the nail on the head when as soon as the question left her lips, the Doctor averted his eyes for the first time since she'd woken. Then there was his reluctance to answer. "Doctor, how long?" she asked more firmly.

He really didn't want to tell her but he knew Rose wouldn't let it slide so he was forced to give in. With a heavy sigh, he sat back on the chair, running a hand through his matted hair before answering. "Five months."

Rose's eyes widened with disbelief. "Five months? Where the hell have I been for five months?"

The Doctor shot a look at her, as though her question had hit a nerve. That's when the last of her memories finally fell into place and her face fell. "Oh..."

"You remember." It wasn't a question.

She frowned. "Sort of. I remember falling and then... nothing, just blackness. Then, I woke up here."

"You don't remember being in the Void?" his voice sounded almost hopeful. Not that Rose could really blame him. She hadn't exactly spent the last five month in Shangri-La. Still, something about not having all her memories just didn't sit well with her.

"No," she replied, scrunching her eyes as she struggled to remember anything between slipping from the lever and waking up under the Doctor's watchful eye. "I had a funny dream, though," she recalled. "Just before I woke up, I dreamt there was this bright, golden light. And a song."

The Doctor nodded and jumped up, feeling more comfortable with this topic. "Oh, that was me, well us, me and the TARDIS." He gave her a rambling explanation about something called huon particles and how he'd used them to bring her back. Rose watched him carefully throughout his monologue, all the while taking in his appearance.

She was only now realising how much of a wreck he was. Dark bags hung heavily under his eyes, betraying his lack of sleep and drawing attention to the worrying paleness of his skin. His suit was a tattered mess and his hair was dishevelled and unkempt, stuck to his head at all angles and in desperate need of a wash.

When he drew close she reached a hand out to grab his arm, only to gasp in shock as the sodden fabric came in contact with her skin. "Oh my God, you're drenched!"

The Doctor abruptly stopped telling the story of how he and the TARDIS had rescued her and looked down at himself as though only just realising the state he was in. "Ah," he said in understanding.

"That's all you have to say?" Rose demanded. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Well," drawled the Doctor, rubbing the back of his neck in his usual preparation of telling Rose something she may not like. "I got a bit caught up under the Thames. Nothing too serious, just taking care of a spider problem."

He grinned at Rose, trying to portray the epitome of innocence but she was having none of it. "And you didn't think to change?" she challenged.

His hand moved from behind his neck and began mercilessly tugging at his earlobe as he struggled to resist shuffling his feet. The oncoming storm humbled to fidgeting like a chastised child. "I was busy," he said in an attempt to defend himself.

He didn't even need to look at Rose to know his efforts were in vain as she was quickly prepared with a response. "What, busy watching me sleep?"

Before he could think of a retort, Rose was already spinning round and pulling herself up from the bed. "What are you doing?" he spluttered. "Get back into bed, you're supposed to be resting."

Rose scoffed. "How can I rest when you don't even have the brains to change yourself out of wet clothes? You'll catch your death dressed like that!" She took him by the hand and led him from the medical bay towards his room.

"But I'm supposed to be looking after _you_," he whined as he trailed after her.

Rose couldn't resist smiling at the tone of his voice. She shook her head in exasperation. How the hell did he manage five months without her?

x

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

x

The Doctor stood in the console room, fresh from a hot shower and dressed in a clean suit. Despite his earlier protests, it was a relief to be out of the wet garments and no longer smelling like a toilet. The Thames was far from the cleanest river in the British Isles and the evidence of that was seeped into the brown material currently being brought down to the TARDIS laundry room by Rose.

He'd pictured himself fussing over Rose when she woke up, making sure she was well and fetching her tea. However, she'd refused to allow the Doctor to run any tests on her despite his emphatic requests, resolutely stating that she was fine and that no doubt he'd run just about every diagnostic possible while she was unconscious anyway. This may have been true but he still wanted to make double sure there was absolutely nothing wrong with her, then triple sure.

Instead, Rose had been the one fussing over him since the moment she realised the state he was in, trailing him to his room and turning on the hot water while she demanding he get cleaned. He'd almost expected her to tear his clothes of herself, but quickly banished that thought, pretending the slightly more impure thoughts it conjured never crossed his mind. Rose had at least allowed him to undress in private, before confiscating his clothes while he was safely in the bathroom.

The Doctor had had the discernment to at least look sheepish for his lack of self-care. Yet despite himself, he couldn't help but bask in the feeling of having someone around who cared enough to notice when he wasn't looking after himself. Though, it wasn't just anyone who could make him feel like this, only Rose.

Five months without her had been almost longer than he could take. This unsettled him. He'd used to manage just fine on his own. Then, a certain blonde had charged into his life and somehow managed to nestle herself so close to his hearts that as soon as she ceased to be present he turned into a useless wreck.

He smiled despite himself. He'd known this already. Even his previous self had known. Rose was far from just another companion. He may have feigned ignorance to this fact before but now the evidence was screaming so loudly in his face it was becoming impossible to turn a blind eye and pretend, perhaps it was time to accept it.

The Doctor looked up as Rose joined him in the console room. His contemplative expression quickly became one of welcome and joy.

"Hello," he said, with his trademark grin.

"Hello," mimicked Rose, stepping up towards the console and lifting out a hand to stroke the panel surface. The TARDIS hummed contentedly in response, sounding quite pleased with herself in the Doctor's opinion.

"Nice suit, by the way," said Rose. "Blue looks good on you."

The Doctor looked down at himself, with his brown suit currently unavailable he'd had to settle on a substitute. Luckily he'd managed to dig up another suit from the TARDIS wardrobe which was remarkable similar to his old faithful, the only difference was the colour but he could live with that.

He grinned. "I match the TARDIS now."

Rose laughed before going quiet. Her eyes fell from his and landed on the console. The Doctor watched as her fingers danced lightly over the controls, yet she stared at them with a heavy scrutiny that didn't match her gentle caresses. He knew she was avoiding eye contact with him, which meant there was something on her mind. He'd resigned himself to waiting until she was ready to voice whatever was troubling her but the dragging silence was beginning to make him antsy.

When she finally did speak, a heavy lump caught in the Doctor's throat.

"What about my mum? What happened to her?"

He wasn't sure how to answer and for a brief moment was terrified that she was regretting her decision to stay with him. He then quickly scolded himself for thinking so selfishly. Rose had every right to ask for her mother. He only wished he had a better answer for her.

"Jackie's still in the parallel world. I'm so sorry, Rose."

"All by herself?" Her voice shook as she struggled to remain under control. However, the Doctor could see the tears welling up in her eyes and knew it was only a matter of time before they fell.

"She's got Pete and Mickey," he replied, gently. "She's fine." He placed, what he hoped, was a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Can I ever see her again?"

The Doctor shook his head, feeling a distinct burning in the back of his own eyes in sympathy of her pain. "You can't," he said, simply but with a finality that broke the dam holding back Rose's tears and he pulled her into his arms as she cried in loss of her mother.

* * *

TBC

:( Slightly depressing ending there...

Next chapter is finished and will be posted within the week :D

If you liked it, review. If you didn't, review and say why so I can make it better :D


	3. Creature Comforts

**AN/** oops this chapter's a bit late... sorry! I wanted to get it betaed first so I held off, but I'm too impatient so I'm updating it anyway, if I missed something, please forgive me, I promise I took extra care while proof reading it.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who. Well, that's handy, listing the things I don't own. I don't own a swimming pool either, or Tesco.

* * *

Chapter 3: Creature Comforts

The Doctor handed Rose a cup of tea. They had left the console room in favour of the much more comfortable living area and Rose had snuggled, quite readily, into the deep cushions of the sofa. Her tears had subsided and she was now fairly composed, save for the occasional reflexive gasp for air that followed a heavy cry.

The Doctor settled down beside her and for a few minutes neither of them spoke. Once again, Rose was the first one to break the silence. "Doctor, I was wondering," she started but paused in reluctance.

The Doctor looked up at her with concern etched on his face. "What is it?"

When Rose failed to finish her question the Doctor reached forward and laid his hand over hers. "Rose, you know you can ask me anything. Tell me what you want."

Rose met his stare and drew strength from his truthful words. "I was wondering if maybe we could visit mum's flat?" She saw the deepening crease on the Doctor's brow and hastened to explain. "Just in case something's been left. I know it's probably been cleared by now but..."

"It's ok," said the Doctor, cutting her off. "We can go see the flat."

Rose leaned over to the coffee table, putting down her cup before turning and enveloping the Doctor in a grateful hug. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," said the Doctor, returning her embrace.

Rose pulled away with a soft smile now replacing her earlier pained expression. "Right, I'll go and get ready, shall I?" she said, brightly, dragging herself from the comfort of the soft cushions and the Doctor's warm arms.

"What?" asked the Doctor, incredulously. "You want to go now?"

Rose nodded, "well yeah, no time like the present, right?"

"Rose, this is a time machine, time is of little consequence." He saw the look Rose was casting him but he refused to waver this time. "No, we're not going now, you need to sleep. We'll go after you've rested." The Doctor picked himself up from the sofa, coaxing Rose up with him before nudging her in the direction of her room.

"But I'm not tired yet," whined Rose even as she allowed him to lead her to her room, just as she'd done for him earlier.

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

A few hours later, the Doctor chuckled to himself in the console room as he recalled how quickly Rose had conked out once he'd got her into bed. So much for not being tired, he thought. However, the TARDIS has just alerted him that Rose was awake and he mentally prepared himself for the trip they had planned. The Doctor had agreed to take Rose to her mother's flat but he couldn't deny how daunting the task looked.

It didn't take long or Rose to get washed and ready and soon she was back in the console room, dressed in her usual ensemble of jeans and a hoodie. However, despite her rest, she still looked weary.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" asked the Doctor. "If you need more sleep we could..."

"I'm fine," said Rose, cutting him off. If she back down now, she might lose her resolve completely.

"If you're sure..." The Doctor had his hand laid on the master dematerialisation switch. The coordinates were set and the TARDIS was ready to go, all he was waiting for was Rose's signal.

A silent nod was the only answer he received but it was enough and with that, he pulled the switch and they both grasped onto the console as the TARDIS dived through the vortex towards twenty-first century London.

Despite the sullen atmosphere that had settled over the TARDIS, Rose found herself enjoying the journey. The rough bumps and tumbles only added to her excitement as she clung to the hexagonal structure, anticipating the next jolt which would try to catch her off guard and fling her to the floor.

She looked across to the Doctor, matching the manic grin on his face as he too revelled in the excitement of being lunged through the Vortex with only the coral casing of the TARDIS to carry them safely to their destination.

It was in moments like these that Rose could fully understand the thirst for thrill that drove people to do extreme sports. The rush of hormones was a powerful addiction that made anything normal pale in comparison.

However, like most good things, it was over far too soon and the end of the journey was signalled by the groaning of the re-materialisation sequence and the accompanying thud of the TARDIS landing.

"We're here," said the Doctor unnecessarily. He rounded the console, sweeping his coat from its usual perch and putting it on, speaking as he went. "Earth, London, Powell Estate, and the year is..." he stopped by the door and held his hand out to Rose. Once she was beside him with her hand firmly clasped in his, he opened the door and finished his sentence. "...two thousand and eight."

Rose was surprised to find that it was sunny, an unusual scene for London. With only a few wisps of cloud in the sky and a warm breeze that rustled some discarded litter down the alley they had stepped out into.

"It's funny," commented the Doctor from beside her. "I was here only a few hours ago and it was snowing then. Well, technically that's because I made it snow, but still... "

Rose looked up at him. "Why'd you make it snow?"

"Because it was Christmas," he said as though that were obvious.

Rose nodded. "Right, and was this when you were taking care of that 'spider problem'?"

The Doctor sniffed. "Yeah... a spider with one twisted sense of humour. Oh, and there were Santa robots! Remember the Santa robots?"

Rose laughed. "Oh my god, they came back?"

She starting walking towards the flats, swinging her and the Doctor's clasped hands as he walked beside her. "You weren't attacked by a Christmas tree as well, were you?" she asked, keeping the conversation going.

"No," he replied but his next words made her release a rather undignified guffaw. "I was attacked by Christmas _baubles_."

The Doctor, finally seeing the funny side, laughed along with her. However, as they entered the shadow of Bucknall House, their humour drained away and the laughter faded, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its place.

Rose took a shuddering breath. She'd stopped thinking of these flats as her home a long time ago but they'd always been like a rock in her life. She could go as far away as she liked for as long as she liked but she'd always had the security of knowing this place was still here, if she ever needed it.

Now, it held no such welcome. There was a detachment between her and this place that hadn't been there before, as though some tether had been cut and she was no longer connected to her childhood home.

The Doctor, noticing Rose's hesitation, spoke. "We don't have to do this, you know."

Shaking her head, Rose replied. "Yes I do."

The Doctor's eyes flitted around the estate. "We can't stay long. Someone might see you."

"What would be wrong with that?" she asked, frowning.

"Rose, you're on the list of the dead," he told her, with all due seriousness. "All the people you knew, all your friends, they think you died months ago. Imagine how they'd react if they saw you standing here."

His words weighed heavily on her mind. Rather than reply, she headed through the main doors of Bucknall House with a look of determination that she didn't really feel. With the Doctor's hand still firmly clasped in hers, he had no choice but to follow.

They stopped once again, this time just outside flat forty-eight. Jackie's flat. Rose raised her hand to knock on the door but before she did, she couldn't help but comment.

"Last time we were here, mum was waiting. She threw the door open and gave me the biggest hug. It was like she hadn't seen me in years." The Doctor didn't reply. What could he possibly say to that? Rose didn't seem to be expecting a reply, before he could even think of a response, she knocked on the door.

The pair waited with bated breath as Rose lowered her hand from the door. At first nothing happened. They'd started to think the flat was empty but, just as the Doctor began to reach for his screwdriver, the door opened.

"Can I help you?" asked the unfamiliar woman who'd opened the door. She cast them both suspicious glances, wondering what they were doing knocking on her flat. "I don't want to buy anything."

"Oh, no, we aren't selling anything," said the Doctor, laughing lightly. "We were just..." he broke off and looked towards Rose, partly because he couldn't think of a reasonable excuse for being there but mostly to make sure she was handling things okay. The look of shock on her face did little to reassure him.

"Sorry," said Rose, schooling her features into a sheepish grin that the Doctor could easily tell was forced. "We must have got the wrong flat. Sorry for troubling you." Rose didn't even wait for a reply before spinning around and retreating for the stairs.

The Doctor barely spared the time to flash the woman a quick grin of his own before setting off in pursuit of his fleeing companion.

Rose was quick the Doctor would give her that. He didn't manage to catch up with her until she was already entering the alley where the TARDIS was parked.

"Rose, wait!" he said, jogging up to her. She stopped but kept her eyes fixed on the ground. "I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't have brought you here."

Her eyes finally rose to meet his. "It's not your fault," she said, smiling softly, "it was my idea to come here. I knew it wouldn't be the same but..."

"But knowing and experiencing are two completely different things," he finished for her in understanding.

Rose nodded lamely. "Yeah," she said, laughing slightly despite herself. "S'just, seeing someone else in the flat, it's like she was never there."

"The rest of the world moves on. It's up to us to remember those we've lost," said the Doctor.

The Doctor's words played over in Rose's mind and she took a moment to appreciate how true they were. No crummy flat could depict Jackie Tyler as befittingly as her memories. Besides, at least she had the comfort of knowing her mum was out there somewhere, with the chance of having the life she always wanted.

This brought some lightness to Rose's heart and she didn't need to fake the small smile that graced her face as she spoke once more. "I guess we're all done here then. Ready to go home?"

The Doctor's grin was dazzling. "No place like it. Come on," he said, holding his hand out to her and wiggling his fingers in the way that always makes her giggle.

"Actually," said Rose, taking his hand and squeezing it slightly. "While we're here, how about we get some chips?"

"Anything Milady desires," replied the Doctor in a mock grand tone, changing course for their favourite chippy. "I hear the local cuisine is quite spectacular!"

Rose laughed as he led her away. Chips, they're all she needed, chips made everything better. They were the ultimate creature comfort. Well, chips and tea.

* * *

TBC

Reviews = Love


	4. Return of the Temp

**AN/** It's late, I know! Main reasons being Fable 3 is bloody addictive and my will to write sort of got frozen in the snow and took a while to thaw out. I would have updated two days ago but my memory stick committed suicide and corrupted all my files. Bad memory fstick, very bad.

Alas, exams have come yet again and naturally, just as my free time meets its demise a hundred plot bunnies stampede through my head, giving me no peace until they are jotted down. Suffice to say this story is almost completely planned out, only the finale to go (which is a first for me).

**Disclaimer:** Nope sorry, I went through every Christmas present I had and not one person got me the rights to Doctor who. *pouts*

**Disclaimer #2:** Thunderyoshi helped me pick a title for this chapter... for some reason I had extreme difficulty coming up with something. I said this one as a joke but we decided to stick with it for giggles :D

Chapter 4: Return of the Temp

* * *

Rose wolfed down her chips with all the vigour of a starved soul, revelling in the salty, greasy goodness of the snack. The Doctor had even cautioned her to slow down once or twice, lest she forget to breath.

The two of them were sitting on the roof of Bucknall House as they ate. The summer weather meant that it wasn't too cold and the pair had always had a thing for heights. For some reason everything always looked prettier from a bird's perspective.

"That was gorgeous," moaned Rose appreciatively as she finished her chips, licking the last salty remnants from her fingers.

The Doctor hummed in agreement as he poked at the last dregs of his own serving. "Even better with the newspaper, honestly Rose, you can really taste the difference."

Rose rolled her eyes. The Doctor had pulled such a sour face when the chips had been handed to them wrapped in plain paper that she'd taken them to a newsagent and bought him a newspaper just to keep him happy. He'd cheered up as quickly as handing a lolly to a pouting toddler.

"Besides that," he continued, obliviously, "it also provides you with reading material. Let's see you learn about..." he read the first headline he spotted, "a mermaid in the Thames while eating chips off your boring, flavourless, plain, old paper."

A sudden burst of laughter escaped Rose, accompanied by a look of bewilderment. "A mermaid, in the Thames? You're having me on, give us a look!"

He handed her the page with a chuckle, leaning over so that he could read with her. It wasn't his fault if getting close enough to read the article entailed having their sides flush against each other, so that he could feel her heat radiating through their clothes. Nor could he help breathing in the strawberry scent of her recently used shower gel, though perhaps he shouldn't be enjoying these things quite as much as he was.

Rose's eyebrow arched increasingly higher as she read until it had almost disappeared into her hairline. According to the article, ever since the replenishment of the Thames after its 'mysterious drainage,' reports of a mermaid had been flooding in. There was even a fuzzy picture alongside the story. It was blurred and probably taken from someone's phone but you could still make out a long silhouette which could pass for a mermaid, with a distinctive body region and long, fish-like tail.

"The officials are probably right," commented the Doctor after he had finished reading it. "It's most like just a lost seal that's wandered up the river.

"But?" prompted Rose, sensing his resignation.

"But..." The Doctor groaned, curling his lip slightly in disdain. "We should probably check it out anyway. Come on!"

He quickly bounced to his feet before holding his hand out to Rose and tugging her up with him. "To the TARDIS!" he exclaimed like a cheesy super hero, flashing a grin as he kept his hand locked in hers and set off for their ship.

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

Their journey across London took next to no time and soon they were opening the TARDIS doors and stepping out onto a carpet of well mown grass. Neat rows of trees skirted their surroundings and looming regally in the background was the Palace of Westminster.

"Victoria Tower Gardens!" observed the Doctor, introducing their destination with the same enthusiasm he gave when they visit whole other worlds. "North bank of the River Thames. Not bad driving, even if I do say so myself."

Rose shook her head in mock exasperation. At least she could never accuse him of fishing for compliments when he'd quite happily give them to himself. She looked up at the sky, seeing that it was getting late. The sun was sinking below the tree line, scorching the sky orange as it descended. She pondered briefly on how she could witness the beauty of the universe yet still be caught breathless by the common wonders of her own humble planet.

Looking back at the Doctor, she noticed that he too was watching the sky, though his expression was somewhat forlorn. Her eyebrows creased as she studied him, wondering what thoughts were flowing through his head to make him look so melancholy.

However, a quick blink later the expression was gone, replaced by a small smile and enigmatic glimmer in his eyes as he held out his hand. "Right then, Miss Tyler, shall we take a stroll?"

Rose blinked again, caught out by his mercurial shifts in mood. Deciding it was a lost cause trying to get anything out of him at the moment, she accepted his offered hand, returning his smile just a little unsurely.

They walked to the outer edge of the garden, along the river bank. The noise of London traffic surrounded them and the air was tainted with the smell of exhaust fumes, yet the shield of trees between them and the busy roads provided a sense of seclusion.

Neither spoke, contenting themselves with a squeezing hand-hold and stolen glances, even though they were supposed to be concentrating on the river below. It felt almost surreal to be walking along a gardened path with the Doctor, something so ordinary and domestic that for him it was downright outlandish.

Rose found herself in danger of being caught in the moment, close to forgetting their real reason for being there as she simple revelled in the Doctor's company. However, she was tugged back to reality when the Doctor suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring straight ahead as though he'd caught sight of a ghost, his eye wide with shocked recognition.

"Donna!" he exclaimed.

The Doctor stared in disbelieve at the woman who'd unexpectedly materialised on his TARDIS at Christmas, the woman whose appearance had inadvertently led to Rose's rescue, shocked to be seeing her again at all never mind so soon after their farewell.

The brash woman spun around at the sound of his voice. "Doctor!" she bellowed, instantly recognising the suited alien. She ran towards him with a hug at the ready.

"Ha, Donna Noble, what are the chances?" laughed the Doctor, closing his arms around her as she reached him.

"I know!" she replied, her voice pitched with excitement. "I was starting to think I'd never find you!"

"You were looking for me?" he asked, bemused.

"Of course I was, dumbo!" she replied, pulling away to get a good look at him. "Look at you! You haven't changed a bit, still wearing suits and everything!" She paused before adding as an afterthought, "don't you ever wear jeans?"

Rose looked between the pair, beginning to understand how it would feel to be invisible. "I take it you two know each other, then?" She asked, deciding that stating the obvious was probably more dignified than jumping up and down like a brushed off child.

"I see your fashion sense isn't the only thing that hasn't improved," chastised Donna. "You haven't even introduced us yet, you rude lummox."

"Right!" exclaimed the Doctor, suddenly remembering his company. "Donna Noble, allow me to introduce you to Rose Tyler!" he motioned towards his bewildered companion with a huge grin plastered on his face. "And Rose this is Donna, I met her at Christmas."

Rose raised her eyebrows and Donna went slack-jawed, something which seemed to happen a lot around the Doctor.

"You mean _Rose, _Rose? _The_ Rose?" gasped Donna, gaping at the younger woman in awe.

"The one and only," replied the Doctor with a chuffed smile and puffed out chest.

"Oh my god, you found her!" cheered Donna, her voice pitching to almost painful levels as she pulled the Doctor into another crushing hug. "I knew you would," she added, smugly before releasing him and spinning round and embracing Rose with equal vigour. "It's brilliant to finally meet you!"

Rose, who had been in some sort of stupor during the exchange, suddenly remembered how to move her muscles and happily returned the unexpected hug, chuckling to herself as she did so. Trust the Doctor to meet someone who was as blunt and forward as himself.

Something the older woman said then occurred to Rose. As the women pulled apart, she turned to the Doctor with questioning eyes. "You mentioned me?"

"Of course I mentioned you," said the Doctor. "Mind you, it's kind of hard to avoid the topic when you leave your clothes lying all over the console room. Not unless I pretend that every so often the fancy takes me to save the universe dressed in drag."

Rose laughed at the imagery that sentence conjured but she didn't miss the sentiment he disguised beneath the humour. He hadn't nailed her name to the list of Taboo topics, never mentioning her to new companions, allowing the rest of the universe to forget she even existed. It's what he'd done for Sarah Jane and all his other companions, yet not her.

"So, how long ago did he find you?" asked Donna, drawing Rose back to the conversation.

Rose looked thoughtful for a moment. "Oh, a little while after his was marinated in the Thames."

Donna shot the Doctor a steely glare. "That was on Christmas. She's been back since Christmas and you never even came to tell me? I've been worried sick about you!"

"No, nononono," said the Doctor, holding his hands up defensively. "Time machine, remember? Christmas was months ago for you but for me it's only been about a day."

Donna narrowed her eyes disbelievingly. "A day? Really?"

When the Doctor spoke again his tone had abandoned its defensive pitch and took a slightly more patronising tone. "Donna, I took you all the way back to the creation of the Earth. Travelling ahead a few months isn't really that spectacular."

"Yes, I know that," said Donna, rolling her eyes. It hadn't been the time travel part that she'd found hard to grasp, it was the change in the Doctor. The last time she had laid eyes on him, he was crumpled and broken, his eyes an open wound to his aching hearts. Now, he was practically bouncing, with a thousand watt smile that could light up half of London. Had Rose really done this much for him in just one day?

"So why were you looking for me?" asked the Doctor, going back to what Donna had said a minute ago.

"Well, I changed my mind, didn't I?" she answered, as though that were obvious.

The Doctor frowned in incomprehension. "About what?"

"About travelling with you," she replied with an all but voiced 'duh.'

This immediately caught Rose's attention. "You asked someone else to travel with you?"

The Doctor looked nervously between the two women, feeling very much put on the spot. What could he possibly say that wouldn't upset at least one of them?

"Well... that is... I..." he stuttered, wracking his brilliant mind for some clever words that would rescue him from his current predicament. Unfortunately, none came.

"Too right he did," Donna answered, much to his dismay. "Understandable though. Bloody useless on his own, he is. Would've got himself drowned if I hadn't been there to drag him out."

Rose raised her eyebrows at this before looking pointedly at the Doctor. He shiftily avoided looking her in the eye. "You didn't _drag _me out," he muttered, obviously not liking the current topic. That night under the Thames hadn't been one of his proudest moments and he'd have been quite happy if Rose never knew of the details.

"Well then," said Rose, grinning at the older woman. "I guess I owe you a thank you."

The three of them spent the next couple of hours catching up on missed news. Donna told them about what she'd been up to since the Doctor had left. Her voice took a slightly despondent tone as she admitted her grand plans of magnificence had been somewhat fanciful, a package holiday to Egypt had been the most she'd been able to manage. That was when she'd realised her mistake and had made it her mission to find the Doctor again.

Rose was impressed by her determination and found herself really liking Donna Noble. One thing made her wonder though. If Donna was so eager to travel with the Doctor, what had made her refuse his earlier invitation?

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

It was dark by the time they'd finished talking. Scattered stars began to sprinkle the cloudless, moonlit sky. A brisk breeze brushed past them making Rose shiver. "It's a bit nippy," she commented, rubbing her arms to get some friction.

"Do you want my coat?" offered the Doctor, wrapping his arm around her to share his heat.

Rose shook her head but leaned closer against him. "No, I'm fine."

"So, let me guess," said Donna, decided not to comment on the obvious cosiness the pair seemed to have with each other. "You're here 'cause of the mermaid."

"Yup," chirped the Doctor. "Just call us Peter Pan and Wendy. So Donna Noble, you've obviously heard some things. What can you tell us?"

Donna sighed. "Not much, I only know what was posted on the internet and in the papers."

As she spoke, the Doctor and Rose made their way through the trees that bordered the river, leaning over the low fence to look into the glassy depths. "And what did they say?" he asked.

Donna joined them by the fence. "Well, it's all fairly recent. You know what the government are like, took them ages to refill the Thames, water charges hit the roof and that stench was something else. Seriously, does every adventure with you involve so much collateral damage?"

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other before answering in synchrony. "Pretty much."

"Though as much," she muttered, rolling her eyes at them. "Anyway, that's when the sightings started happening. Ones in their boats are swearing, right hand up to god, they saw a mermaid swim past. 'Course it didn't come up to the surface so they can't give any proper details of what it looks like, except for its outline."

"Not everything is a mermaid that dives into the water," said the Doctor, his tone suggesting he was quoting someone else.

"So, maybe it is just a seal, then?" suggested Rose, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Yeah but if it was a seal, surely it would have come up for air. I mean, they can only hold their breath for so long," said Donna.

The Doctor sniffed thoughtfully. "Actually, people tend to underestimate the capabilities of seals. Some species can stay underwater for up to an hour. And, strictly speaking, seals don't hold their breath, while underwater they release the oxygen from their lungs, storing it in their blood and..." he trailed off as he noticed the looks he was receiving. Donna was staring at him blankly whilst Rose looked like she was struggling not to break into giggles.

"Oh, never mind," he huffed, casting his eyes down to the river below. They narrowed as he saw something flit beneath the surface. It could have just been a reflection but then again, maybe not.

Rose frowned as she noticed the change in the Doctor's demeanour. "What's wrong?" she asked, warily.

"I think..." said the Doctor, his steely gaze fixed on the river below, "there's something in the water."

"Doctor?" she queried, a chill running down her spine from his words. She followed his gaze down to the opaque river. The gentle wavelets reflected the moon and streetlights above, like a shimmering black mirror, concealing whatever lay beneath.

"Donna, you said the Government refilled the Thames. Where did they get the water from?" asked the Doctor, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and scanning the murky channel.

The older woman thought for a moment. "Well, obviously the tributaries played a part and they took as much as they could from the Severn but it still wasn't enough so they had to take some from the River Taff. The Welsh kicked up a right fuss about that."

"The Taff? That goes through Cardiff, doesn't it?" asked Rose, trying to remember her Earth geography.

"It flows right through the rift," said the Doctor, gravely. Rose paled as she realised what that meant.

Donna looked more confused than ever. "What rift? What the hell are you two talking about?"

Rose could tell the moment the Doctor switched into lecture mode. He pulled his shoulders back, pocketed his sonic and hid his concern behind an air of educated nonchalance. "The Rift," he explained to Donna, "is a fracture in space and time that runs straight through the heart of Cardiff. For the most part it's harmless but that doesn't mean to say that occasionally some things don't slip through, things that could hide themselves in, say, a nearby river and when London tapped into that river to replenish the Thames..."

"They brought whatever slipped through with it," said Donna, catching on. "I knew we shouldn't have taken water from the Welsh!"

The Doctor's eyes darted back to the river as he sense movement. There is was again, a black shadow gliding beneath the wavelets. It was heading straight for them. Without another through, the Doctor grabbed hold of Rose and Donna. "Get away from the edge!" he yelled as he yanked them away from the fence, throwing all three of them as far back as he could.

Then, just as their bodies collided with the cold, unforgiving ground, the Doctor heard the water erupt.

* * *

**TBC**

...Cliff hanger? Where? I don't see any (shifty eyes)


	5. Square One

**AN/** Argh! Exams really are the bane of my life. Genetics was flipping deadly. I must have spent about half an hour just staring at the paper thinking '_what the hell was I going through my head when I decided that THIS would be a good idea?_' *sigh* anyway that's another exam down just ONE more to go. No pressure...

**Disclaimer:** These things really are getting tiresome. I think we all know that I have about as much chance of owning Doctor Who has the Hubble Telescope does of finding a little man at the centre of a black hole, holding a torch and looking for the fuse box.

Thank you all so much for your reviews, they really are the main things that keep me motivated! And I'm sorry if there's any mistakes, for some reason I suck at catching all of them, just please don't hurt my DW figurines (yes that means YOU psychoticsimon!)

Chapter 5: Square One

* * *

Groaning, Rose picked herself up, knowing she would be boasting a nasty bruise on her hip later. Did the Doctor really have to be so rough? It suddenly registered to her that something had leapt out of the water and she spun around to see what it was.

The grass where they had stood not moments before was now occupied by something else. Rose's eyes widened at the creature that had given the Doctor such a fright. She blinked. "Umm, Doctor, your monster isn't very... monster-ish."

It looked to Rose like some sort of aquatic cat, though a bit larger. A rayed dorsal fin lined the length of its back before tapering off down its long tail which ended in a vertical fin. Its scaled skin shimmered with glistening streams of excess water that trickled over its torso and down four toned legs. As Rose looked at it, two large, unblinking eyes stared back, eyeing them all cautiously.

"Awwwww," cooed Donna, "he looks adorable!"

Rose chuckled at the Doctor as he joined them on two feet. "With the way you were behaving, I was expecting some sort of leviathan," she teased.

He glowered slightly as he brushed himself off. "Well, for all we knew it could have been. Couldn't really see it when it was underwater, could I?"

"What is it?" asked Donna, creeping closer to the bristling animal.

"Careful," warned the Doctor. "Those sharp claws and razor teeth aren't just for decoration." He lowered himself to his knees, motioning for Rose and Donna to do the same and then slowly withdrew his sonic screwdriver.

"It's an azurynx," he said, searching through the sonic's settings. "They live on the marine moons of Pesh. There's very little land there, just miles and miles of ocean, speckled with islands. They communicate using sonic frequencies, kind of like dolphins. This little guy must have heard the sonic screwdriver and thought I was one of his friends."

"Poor thing," said Rose. "He must be lonely."

"I know," agreed the Doctor. "Pesh is extremely remote. You won't find any humans there. This place must seem terrifying, it's all loud noises and machines and pollution. Oh, here we go!" apparently satisfied with the setting, he pointing the screwdriver and the azurynx and pressed the button. The blue light immediately started blinking and the frequency whirred through the air.

Donna and Rose stared transfixed as the creature relaxed and padded towards the Doctor, sniffing the screwdriver curiously before swiping at it as though it were a toy. "That's it," cooed the Doctor, tickling under its chin. "You just want a friend, don't you?"

Rose reached out a hand, looking at the Doctor for permission. "Is it okay if I...?" she trailed off, her hand inches from the shiny scales. Smiling gently, the Doctor took her hand and laid it on the azurynx's head. Rose gasped at the smooth texture beneath her skin, she'd expected it to be slimy but it was more like a smooth rubber. She tentatively glided her fingertips over the scales, giggling as the azurynx pressed into her touch, apparently enjoying the attention.

"I reckon we should call him Zim," said Donna, quite randomly.

"Zim?" asked the Doctor, looking at her like she'd just sprouted another head.

"Yeah, like from the cartoon," she explained. "He needs a name. We can't just keep calling it azarincks or whatever. I won't remember that for one thing."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Azurynx and we're not going to keep calling it anything. We need to take it home."

"Aww, but he's so cute," whined Rose. "Can't we keep him?"

"No, the TARDIS is no place for pets," said the Doctor. He avoided looking into Rose's wide, pleading eyes as he said this, refusing to give her that advantage.

Her bottom lip protruded, raising her puppy-eye power to dangerous levels but without him looking it was rendered ineffective. Breathing a defeated sigh she was forced to back down. "All right," she huffed. "We'll bring him home."

The Doctor grinned. "Right, now that that's settled, back to the TARDIS!" He gently lifted the azurynx, and held it in his arms as he set off for the closely parked TARDIS, followed closely by Rose and Donna.

"Oi, hold on a second!" barked Donna just before Rose and the Doctor could disappear into the dimly lit, blue box.

"What is it?" asked the Doctor, looking back at her questioningly.

"Well, it's just that... last time you asked if I wanted to... Oh sod it, I want to go with you, ya oaf! I mean, if that's all right." Her glance drifted towards Rose.

The Doctor made a big show of looked look very thoughtful before turning to his blonde companion. "I don't know, Rose, what do you think?"

"Oh, I think that's a brilliant idea," she said, grinning.

The Doctor mirrored her expression. "That settles it then! Welcome aboard Donna Noble!"

Donna laughed giddily and leapt into the TARDIS after them. "This is gonna be brilliant!" she cheered. "I'm gonna see other planets!"

"Yes, well first things first," said the Doctor, handing the azurynx over to Rose and in a flash, spinning round the console. "I'm inputting the coordinates for the marine moons of Pesh. Grab onto something Donna, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. Ha!"

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

Leaving the azurynx home had been an experience, the moon was beautiful and the Doctor had been right, crystalline oceans had stretched as far as the eye could see. They had landed on a small island, mostly bare rock with a steep climb to the summit. The rocks skirting the water's edge were washed in white foam as waves crashed against them and above, a flock of flying creatures sang out as they soared into the distance.

It was almost too perfect, thought Rose. The Doctor had his hand linked in hers as they gazed out towards the glittering horizon. However, just as she was leaning into him, he stepped back, going so far as to release her hand as though it burned and retreat back into the TARDIS, mumbling something about checking the gravitic anomalyser. Rose was somewhat thrown.

Then he was bouncing around like nothing had happened. Blathering on about how at certain times of year, photosynthetic microorganisms bloom across the surface of the oceans making them look purple or pink and sometimes even blood red. "You can see the same thing on earth though it's not quite as benevolent," he said.

With the azurynx released and the scenery well appreciate, the Doctor had decided it was time to leave and had whisked them away with almost no drama, though Rose had suspected some slight over exaggeration on the effort required just to dematerialise into the vortex, which was where they were now, with her and the Doctor surprisingly on opposite sides of the console.

"Right then," said the Doctor, bouncing round the console. "That's us for the day. You two should probably go and get some rest now. We're up bright and early tomorrow. After all, we have to take Donna on her first proper trip," he said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Donna didn't seem too happy about that. "Rest? Not bloody likely with the way I'm pumped up." She paused with thought. "Where am I staying anyway? I'm not sleeping on that ratty old seat!" she said, pointing at the tattered pilot chair.

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her, "just wander down that corridor," he pointed. "Second on your left, straight on till you see the kitchen then left, then right and carry on until you reach a long corridor with lots of doors. Choose any room you like."

Donna stared down the lengthy corridor he had pointed to. "Is this thing really that big?"

The Doctor said nothing, but the condescending look he sent her spoke volumes.

"Oi, watch it," she warned, pointing a finger at him.

"I didn't say anything?" he said, defensively.

"You don't need to," she retorted. "You could write a dictionary for your facial expressions."

Rose laughed at that. It was becoming quite clear that Donna took lip from no one. In a way she reminded her of her mother which was weird on a number of levels, not the least of which being the Doctor's attachment to someone who held such stark similarities to the woman who he'd declared his mortal enemy not so long ago. Rose wondered briefly if Donna had slapped him yet.

"Right then, I'm off to find me a room. Or get lost on the way," said Donna. She took a deep breath as though setting out on an arduous journey before leaving a console room and walking down the long corridor that eventual led to the living quarters, provided that you avoided about twenty-six dead ends and the odd corridor that took you in endless circles. The TARDIS must get really bored if she'd resorted to labyrinth designing for self amusement.

With Donna gone, the Doctor had begun to pull up pieces of grating around the console, apparently preparing to do some tinkering. Rose was left feeling a little unsettled. She wasn't really sure what she'd been expecting once everything was quiet again but a prompt brush off to bed hadn't been at the top of her expectations. They still hadn't even talked, not properly at least. As soon as the Doctor was over his initial concern about her wellbeing he'd sort of distanced himself. Maybe she shouldn't have been so adamant she was fine, if only to milk his attention for just a little longer.

"Rose, is there something you wanted?" the Doctor's voice broke her out of her thoughts. He was looking up at her expectantly from under the console. Rose blushed, wondering how long she'd been standing there staring into space.

"No, I'm fine. I'll just... go now," she turned and quickly left the console room, though she didn't make her way to her room. Right now, she needed a hot cuppa, and some time to think.

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

It was some time later that Donna, holding a freshly made cup of tea, managed to stumble across the library. She was surprised to see Rose curled up in the deep cushions of a sofa, looking decidedly melancholy.

"Room for two?" she asked, catching the brooding girl off guard.

Rose managed a brief smile. "Yeah, help yourself." She motioned towards an empty seat, noticing the expression on the older woman's face, from the mirror during her early days on the TARDIS. "It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?"

"It ain't half that," chuckled the red-head as she settled herself. "Mind you, he could turn the heating up a bit."

"It's always like that. I think he prefers it cool."

"So, what's got you down in the dumps?" asked Donna, decided not to bother with any more small talk.

Rose stared at her in surprise.

Donna scoffed. "Oh, don't look at me like that young lady, I saw how you were. From looking at you, you'd think someone had run over your puppy. I thought you'd have been happy, being back with the Doctor and all. Where were you anyway? He never said."

Rose laughed, unable to help herself when faced with Donna's barrage of questions. Was she always like this? "You don't want to know," she said, answering the last question first. "And I am happy. _Really_," she stressed when Donna arched her brow skeptically. "It's just that..." she trailed off, wondering if she should say anything.

"You know, if you don't talk about it, it's not going to get any better," said Donna, with all the wisdom and logic of someone who had been through life. A small, adolescent part of Rose rebelled against the reasonableness of Donna's words, the remnants of an outgrown ideology that her problems were too big for something so simple to fix. However, Rose's mature side won out and with a heavy sigh, she opened up to her new friend.

"Before we were separated, I said things, things you only say because you figure that if you don't, you might never get another chance. I chose him over everything, even my mum. Then, as soon as the words left my mouth, without a single response he sent me away." Tears had begun running down her eyes as she spoke, talking about it forcing her to relive the experience.

Donna didn't know what to think, her face was a picture of bewilderment. "But, he told me he _lost_ you. Are you telling me he got rid of you?"

Rose half laughed half hiccupped. "No, but he tried to. Stubborn one me, I came right back. He was a bit angry at that..." she muttered wryly. "But then we got separated and now, since I've been back, he's just fallen into his old routine. It's like all those things I said never happened. What if... what if he doesn't really want me here?"

Having heard enough, Donna suddenly spoke up. "Oh my god, you're just as thick as he is! If he didn't want you here, why did he try so hard to get you back?"

Taken aback by Donna's sudden outburst, Rose just about managed to mumble, "Maybe he just felt guilty."

Donna scoffed. "You think he did that out of some sort of charity? Rose I've seen that man in action, giving favours isn't his strong point, he'd sooner see a whole species die than give them a second chance."

Rose's eyes widened at that. That didn't sound like the Doctor, granted he wasn't one for second chances but to kill a whole species...

Donna softened as she knelt before Rose. "Listen to me sweetheart, that man out there now, is a completely different man to the one I met on Christmas and you did all that in just one day? Rose he doesn't just want you here he bloody needs you, even if he is too thick to admit it. Just give him some time, he'll come around."

There was a moment of silence between them, though it didn't last long before Donna said one last thing. "To be honest, I thought you two were already at it like rabbits."

Rose laughed, even though she wasn't quite sure what she was laughing at.

TBC

* * *

I'm not too sure about this chapter to be honest... please let me know what you think!

I plan for a lot more to be happening in the next chapter, which will be up soon, provided my imagination behaves and keeps me on track! The chapter's already planned and started all I need is the right word flow :P


	6. The Howling

**AN/** Finally! It took a fricken age of jiggery-pokery until I was finally satisfied with this chapter. Do you know what took forever? Coming up with a planet name, I'm still not happy with the one I have but I don't have any more time to keep working on that today and I REEEEEEALLY wanted to update so, meh. If anyone has a better planet name I'd probably quite happily change it.

**Disclaimer:** (I almost forgot about doing this...) I don't own Doctor Who, if I did, I'd probably be the most hated person amongst whovians because if my track record's anything to go by, the episodes would never be up in time :P

**Chapter 6: The Howling**

**

* * *

**

The TARDIS was quiet, settled into a gentle hum as her human occupants' circadian rhythms crept through the night arc. Yet within the tranquil ship Rose lay in her room in fitful sleep, tossing and turning in the throes of a nightmare. All of a sudden her eyes flew open and she shot upright, dragging air into her lungs as lucidity crashed over her.

She winnowed her fingers through her hair, massaging her temples in an attempt to ease the splitting ache that her dreams had induced. The details of the nightmare were quickly slipping away but its essence would not abate so easily. There had been no monsters, no devil with portentous words or Daleks screeching her imminent demise.

Only darkness had surrounded her, trapping her in a cage of shadow and solitude, devoid of light and life and sound. Her skin was burning and freezing all at once, the wailing silence pounding her eardrums to agony. Something festered in the darkness, a malice without name that infested her mind, its bitter fingers entangling her thoughts, stripping her of all recollection of the touch of warmth or the taste of air, leaving no veil between her and oblivion.

Gradually her breathing calmed as the panic subsided though the dregs of loneliness still bit at her, infecting her with a draining sense of despair. She wanted the Doctor, wanted to reach out and pull him towards her so that she could feel the heat of his solid body against her own and would know that she wasn't alone. But all around her was the empty chasm of her room from which no comfort could be found.

The TARDIS, sensing her distress, caressed her consciousness with a sensation akin to a mother's embrace. Love and reassurance washed over her like a soothing balm and she stroked the coral near her bed in gratitude. Since her return from the Void her link to the TARDIS had been significantly stronger, a fact for which she was extremely thankful. The nightmares had been plaguing her every night, leaving her feeling vulnerable and in constant need of company, though the Doctor was incessantly holding her at arm's length.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so frustrating if they were actually going out on adventures. Since taking Donna on her first official trip they hasn't left the TARDIS once and that was just over a week ago. Their first outing with Donna had gone quite well, they'd landed on a planet in the Psophian System, seen new sites, indulged in the culture, foiled an evil plot and ran for their lives from a mob of, frankly very ungrateful, natives. All-in-all in had been a fairly bog standard trip and Rose couldn't figure out why the Doctor seemed to have them on lockdown.

He was using his old faithful fall back, that the TARDIS needed maintenance, though Rose was beyond suspecting that he was just making faults up by this point. Despite the vastness of the TARDIS, she was getting cabin fever and needed to get out, breath fresh air, have an adventure, anything to distract her from the darker territories her thoughts kept wandering into.

Giving up on sleep, Rose abandoned her bed and sought out the kitchen in hopes of finding comfort in a warm cup of tea. When she got there she was surprised to find the pot already warm, until she looked around and spotted the Doctor sitting at the table, nursing a mug of his own.

"Good morning," she greeted, fetching her mug and pouring into it the fresh brew, deeply inhaling the smooth scent of the rising steam.

A look of surprise flitted across his face. "Is it morning already?"

She shrugged. "Near enough."

She felt his eyes following her as she went through the motions of making up her tea. No doubt she looked a sight, tired and haggard with her hair a tangled mess and no makeup to disguise the dark bags under her eyes. Nonetheless, she forced nonchalance into her movements.

"You should go back to sleep," he murmured. "There's no rush to get up, I'm just calibrating the helmic regulator today."

Rose wasn't sure of it was the lack of sleep or the tone with which he'd spoken, so casual, like he expected her to accept his words without question. Whatever the cause, the proverbial final straw snapped and she slammed her mug down on the bench with almost shattering force, ignoring the sting of the fresh tea as it splashed over her skin. "If I could sleep I wouldn't be in here," she ground out. "Maybe if we actually went out somewhere once in a while I wouldn't feel so restless. Did you leave the TARDIS rotting in a ditch while I was gone? Why does she need so many repairs?"

The Doctor stared at her with his mouth hung open in comical surprise at her outburst. Quickly though, he composed himself with a reply ready on his tongue. "Technically, Rose, a calibration isn't a repair."

"Don't patronise me," she barked, her eyes flared with warning.

The Doctor swallowed nervously. "Yes, quite right. Sorry. Force of habit that," he rambled. "You were saying?"

An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she picked up her abused cup and collapsed into the chair facing him. "Why are you keeping us cooped up inside the TARDIS?" She tried to sound patient but her tone was rapidly approaching whining levels. "Last time we stayed inside this long it was because the temporal stabiliser was on the fritz and it near drove you spare. Aren't you beginning to feel even a little claustrophobic?"

"Well, look how well our last trip went," he muttered into his cup before taking a swig of tea.

Rose cocked her head in bemusement. "What was wrong with it?"

Her question was met with a long, hard look. "We ended up running for our lives from a murderous horde," he said at last. "All they needed where the torches and pitchforks and they'd have been right at home in a Frankenstein movie."

"Yeah, but our adventures our always like that," she replied, shrugging it off.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "Our trips are _always _like that! No matter my intentions, no matter how hard I try to land somewhere safe, we _always _end up in danger. I could take us to 'Planet of the Pillows' and we'd end up being chased by a rabid cushion monster!"

Rose stared blankly through the Doctor's rant. "Don't you think you're being a little bit paranoid?" she asked once he'd stopped. "It's not like the universe is actually out to get you," she reasoned, picturing the personification of the universe sitting in it's room with the Doctor's face pinned to a dart board and a large arrow pointing to him with words that read 'get him.' Rose took a long drag of tea to hide her smirk.

"Yes it is," he said, petulantly.

Rose rubbed her eyes wearily. "Doctor, that's just the way our lives are. It's never bothered you before, what –" She trailed off as realisation dawned on her. "This is because of what happened to me, isn't it? You think I can't look after myself!"

She stood up from the table, pacing around the room to relieve the tension that was steadily building inside her.

"No Rose, it's… it's not like that," he sighed, standing up to join her.

"Then what's it like?" she snapped.

The Doctor's expression hardened and he came to stand just inches away from her. "Look Rose, things mightn't have changed for you but I had to endure all those months without you and I can't do it again. I just can't!"

That's when she saw it, the terror that lurked in his eyes, the debilitating fear that something was still waiting to snatch her away, leaving him alone for good. Never before had she seen him look so vulnerable, so frightened. His declaration made her heart ache with emotion until she could no longer contain it and suddenly she found herself closing the gap between them, capturing his lips in a searing kiss.

At first his lips remained still beneath hers and for a terrifying moment Rose feared she had made a terrible miscalculation until slowly, tentatively, his lips began to move and soon, they lost themselves to the gentle, languid caresses. His arms slipped around her waist, tugging her yielding body against his so that they could feel each other's heat radiate through their clothing. Rose sank her fingers into the Doctor's hair tracing his sideburns with her thumbs. They held each other close, periodically dipping their tongue into the other's tea-tainted mouth until the kiss came to its eventual end.

Their heads drew back though they remained wrapped in each others arms, both of them dazed and a little breathless. With some effort, Rose managed to regain vocal functions and leaned in close as she spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "Doctor, I'm not going anywhere. I've already told you, you're stuck with me and the universe is just going to have to like it or lump it because no matter what it does to split us apart, I'm going to keep coming back, as many times as it takes." She stroked the stubble on his cheek as she spoke, her eyes imploring him to believe her. "Okay?"

For a long moment he simply stared at her, taking in everything that had transpired before relenting with a sigh. "Okay."

Rose knew changing his mind wasn't that easy and was under no illusion that the Doctor's fears had been resolved. However, some things took time and she could hardly expect everything to be right as rain after one little chat. On the bright side, she now knew her earlier fears about the Doctor's feelings for her were for naught, the kiss and his admission had thoroughly proved that and with that realisation came a new feeling of lightness that chased away the lingering shadows in her mind.

A blush crept over her cheeks as in dawned on her that she was still in the Doctor's arms. She caught the exact moment the Doctor realised this too, he released her as though she were hot coals, stepping back and immediately delving a hand into the tangled hair on the back of his head in a rare show of bashfulness. "Right… I should maybe, just… go start the... the calibrating. Need to go... calibrate." he rambled, avoiding eye contact.

He turned to leave but before he could disappear, Rose latched onto his arm and spun him back round to look at her. "Not so fast, I was serious about what I said. There's nothing wrong with the TARDIS, let's go somewhere!"

The Doctor eyed her but his resistance didn't last long as her stern look morphed into one of pleading, a totally unfair tactic in his opinion. He raised his index finger and pointed it at her. "If I take us somewhere, _if _being the operative word here, you must swear to me that under no circumstances are you to go looking for trouble, is that clear missy?"

A grin spread across her face before she schooled her expression and mocked the stance of a soldier. "Clear as glass, sir!" she said with a salute.

He quirked an eyebrow at her teasing but accepted that it was probably the closest he was going to get to an actual promise. Besides, it wasn't Rose looking for trouble that was the problem, trouble seemed to find them pretty much on its own. "All right then."

Her eyes lit up. "Where are we going?"

"Ha!" he barked, "Like I'm going to spoil the surprise! You'll just have to wait and see."

She narrowed her eyes at him in feigned annoyance but his jovial wink weakened her resolve and she was soon grinning along with him. The Doctor turned away again to head towards the consol room but Rose wasn't finished. "Doctor, wait." Despite their light teasing, her voice was leaden with anxiety.

"What's wrong?" he asked his expression now laced with concern.

Normally she wouldn't be so blunt but her recent emotional turmoil had left her severely uneasy and she didn't think she could handle the added stress of worrying where things stood with the Doctor. Therefore, she was deciding to bite the bullet and ask him directly. "Um... I was wondering if... what with the um... are we okay?" Yeah Rose, way to get rid of the ambiguity, she thought sarcastically.

"Of course!" he said with his face a picture of wide-eyed naivety.

Rose sighed in frustration at her inability to express her concern. She lowered her head in defeat, too tired for another struggle.

For once the Doctor didn't disguise his perceptiveness and was swiftly in front of her again. With a soft hand her cupped her chin and raised her sagging head until her eyes met his. "We're okay," he said again, with much more seriousness held in his dark orbs. He leant down and gave her a soft, chaste kiss, conveying the true weight of his words with action rather than explanation.

She opened her eyes as he drew back, having no recollection of when they had closed. "Yeah..?" she asked hopefully through thick lashes.

"Oh, yes!"

So much bared emotion ran through them, the words still unsaid but finally their existence expressed. Giggles erupted from the both of them, the only form of release they could manage for the suddenly overwhelming feelings that, having once been pent up, now ran rampant.

The Doctor was the first to regain his composure, clearing his throat he spoke with a voice of control which he did not posses. "Right then, Miss Tyler, I believe you said something about a trip..."

She giggled again, the early hour occurring to her. "Maybe we should wait a little while, give Donna a chance to wake up."

He sniffed as a look of displeasure subconsciously assailed his face. Now that he'd agreed to go on an adventure, he found himself loath to wait. The thought briefly crossed his mind about just how upset Donna would be if they gave her an early wakeup call but he quickly negated the idea, the image of Donna transforming into a fire-breathing balronth coming to mind. It would probably be safer if he just waited.

.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

.

After a seemingly torturous amount of time, a humane hour was finally reached and the pair wasted no time in dragged Donna out of bed with instructions to dress for the great outdoors. Apart from grumbling about having her sleep cut short, she put up little argument. It seemed she was just as eager to be leaving the TARDIS as they were.

"Bout bloody time!" she said, joining Rose and the Doctor in the console room when she was ready. "I was on the verge of writing 'red rum' all over the walls and hacking down bathroom doors with an axe!"

The Doctor eyed her. "I'd appreciate it if you refrained from vandalising my TARDIS. She gets a bit tetchy when people do that."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "She..? Oh god, you're not like one of those blokes who treat their cars like living people?"

"She _is_ alive," he informed her, defensively.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, staring at the rotor. "How can it be alive?"

Rose piped in. "TARDISes are grown, not built. She's sentient, sort of... telepathic, gets into your head and translates things and... stuff. She's nice." She trailed off, knowing she sounded silly compared to the Doctor's explanations. She understood that the TARDIS was alive, could _feel _it but trying to explain that understanding to someone who didn't know the TARDIS like she did was tricky.

Nevertheless, the Doctor beamed proudly as she defended the TARDIS, glad that he wasn't the only one sticking up for the old girl for a change. "Exactly!" he chirped. "Translates things and _stuff,_" he seconded, winking heartily at Rose.

"Right, just when I thought this thing couldn't get any more alien," muttered Donna before changing the subject. "So where have you landed us?" She'd felt the TARDIS land while she was still getting washed and was impressed by their ability to wait for her to finish getting ready. The two of them were already dressed when they'd woken her and she was beginning to wonder if either of them ever slept, unable recall a time when she was in bed after them or awake before.

The Doctor's enthusiastic prattle cut her out of her musing. "Forests! A whole planet covered in forest. Trees taller than buildings, tall buildings... not bungalows, that wouldn't be very impressive. And Animals! Proper alien animals, you liked the azurynx? Ha! Just wait 'til you see these things, they're amazing."

With a flourish, his coat was on and he was by the door, opening it and motioning grandly. "I give you... Aldalor!"

* * *

TBC

The good news is the backbone of the next chapter is already finished, it just needs more jiggery-pokery. The bad news is I have another test this week (statistics!) so don't count on an update until at least next weekend because the only day I'll have to write is Friday.

I _could _write on Thursday but I always have microbiology until 6pm and then I don't get home until late and all I want to that day is get a cup of tea and curl up in bed (maybe with some Doctor Who dvds... or Blackpool, or something else with DT in it :P)

Reviews = Love


	7. Perfect Harmony

**AN/** Yes I know... LATE! Sorry! No excuse really. Just really bad writer's block mostly, it was like a huge wall between what I wanted to write, and putting it into words. I started another story to help get the flow going again and it seems to have helped because I got this chapter done and the next one is nearly finished! Anyway, hope everyone had a good summer and all you younger ones are enjoying being back at school, I have yet to enrol for this year's classes and anyone who knows the Queens QSIS system should understand why that is such a daunting thought :P

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, even though I specifically asked for the rights to it for my birthday

**OAN (on another note):** Currently watching "Mock the Week" why does everyone who doesn't watch Doctor Who think that the Doctor's name really is "Doctor Who?"

**Chapter 7: Perfect Harmony **

* * *

They stepped out of the TARDIS into a vast forest. Trees towered above them, the sky obscured by an emerald ceiling of thick canopy. Between the soaring trunks a myriad of flowering plants grew, their brilliant flowers decorating the greenery like precious jewels.

"It's beautiful," said Rose, breathing in the warm, sweet air.

"Everything's so big," added Donna, "trees don't grow this tall on Earth. Are they on steroids or something?"

The Doctor chuckled as he came up beside them. "This planet orbits three suns. The photosynthesising activity is phenomenal, all these trees competing for the light growing as fast as they can so they aren't left behind in the shade."

Wanting to see more, Rose wandered into the trees, manoeuvring through the myriad of timber and foliage. She came across a small freshwater pool and gasped at what she saw. The water was split into a rainbow of shimmering colours, mixing and diverging like a liquid kaleidoscope.

"Prism fish," said a familiar voice.

Rose didn't need to turn around to know that the Doctor was standing behind her. She smiled as she heard the soft footfalls of his approach and felt the caress of his arms as they glided around her waist. With a contented sigh her head fell back against his chest and her eyes slowly closed as she allowed herself to simple _be_.

She stood with him in silence for a few moments, listening to the exotic calls of the forest. Chitters, chirps, barks and resonating cries filled the air in energetic cacophony, chaotic yet somehow harmonious. "So what are prism fish, then?" she asked, knowing he was itching to speak.

He took a breath before rolling the explanation off his tongue. "Their scales diffract light into its different coloured components, like a sun beam passing through water droplets and casting a rainbow. It shields them from predators, some animals change colour to blend with the environment and some just change the colour of the environment."

"Well it's very pretty," mused Rose, "maybe the predators see the colours and decided watching them is more fun than hunting," she offered with a grin. "This place is amazing, like an enchanted forest from a fairy tale, all it needs is a castle."

The Doctor chuckled at the very child-like comparison. "Yes, and then we'd explore it and end up being chased by a fire breathing dragon, and I don't mean your mother."

Rose slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand but the odd angle didn't allow for much force. "Cheeky sod," she admonished though unable to hide the mirth in her voice.

The Doctor grinned and continued his lecture. "This sort of surface water storage is actually quite rare on this planet. You won't find any large oceans like on earth, most of the water is stored in trees. It's quite remarkable really, the three suns that this planet orbits should render it a desert wasteland but these forests blanket the entire surface of this world. They pump out gases that form a thick protective atmosphere and manipulate their transpiration to induce rainfall, similar to the rainforests on earth but on a much larger scale. The organisms of this planet exist in a delicate balance of predation, conspecifics and symbiosis but fundamentally, all life here is dependent on these trees."

He fell silent, hugging Rose close to him and indulging in the peace and perfection of this moment and allowed himself, just for a second, this little taste of paradise.

They were startled by Donna who suddenly backed into them. The Doctor turned to tell her to watch where she was going but frowned when he noticed her wary expression as she kept her eyes on the tree line.

"What is it?" he asked, following her gaze into the thicket.

"There's something in there," she said. "Just now, something moved nearby."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a squirrel or something?" asked Rose, even as the Doctor moved to stand in front of them protectively.

"It sounded too big to be a squirrel," she replied defensively before asking, "Doctor, is there anything dangerous on this planet?"

The Doctor made a noncommittal noise in his throat. "Technically no planet is perfectly safe, well, except for maybe the Marshmallow Moon of Floomba, but then a moon isn't a planet, so the point still stands. "

Even as he made the nonchalant reply his eyes remained fixed on the trees, wary of the slightest indications of danger. However the shrubs were still, there was no noise save for the animated chatter of creatures and no movement other than a lazy breeze that slid through the trees, heavy with heat and thick with its floral scent.

The Doctor was about to call it quits when all of a sudden a sharp gasp caught his ear, he recognised it immediately as Rose's. Quickly he spun around to see what had startled her and what he saw made his hearts quicken. A group of humanoids had managed to sneak up behind them, they already had Rose and Donna at spear-point and from the corner of his eye, the Doctor could see two others circle around either side of him until they were at his back.

He counted six in all, the three who had spears pointed at his companions, the two flanking him and one who stood slightly back from them, holding his spear like a staff, presumably their leader, staring over at them with appraising eyes. They looked similar to humans, more swarthy perhaps, and very tribally reminiscent, they wore sparse clothing, hiding the essentials behind tattered cloth that looked to be hand-made from animal hide.

The Doctor bit back the urge to snarl at the suicidal idiots who had spears pointed at Rose and with considerable effort, forced a blasé grin onto his face. "Oh, hello! I wasn't expecting a welcome committee, although I really must say, pointing threatening weapons at your guests _really_ isn't the best way to earn tips. You could try providing refreshments or offering to carry our suitcases, not that we have any. Did you know on Klaffagog they welcome visitors by performing a four hour long dance, which is really more of a competition of 'who can jump the highest' while providing the guests with bowls of fermented winged-boar milk? Though for me, tea's fine thanks."

Their captors' leader did not respond to the Doctor's ramble, in fact he showed no signs that he'd even heard it. Instead he stepped forward, holding his muscular form like an impenetrable wall and spoke with a biting, caustic tone. "Who are you, strangers? And what are you doing, intruding in our parts of the forest? Speak quickly!"

"Why? You got somewhere to be, Tarzan?" quipped Donna, earning her a nudge from the spear behind her. "Oi, watch were you poke that thing, sunshine, or I'll make you sit on it!"

"Donna, easy," urged the Doctor, not wanting to make their captors any more hostile. He turned his attention back to the leader. "I'm the Doctor and these are my companions, Rose and Donna. We were just passing through. Travellers, that's what we are!" He finished with a forced grin, hoping they would believe him and let them be on their way yet knowing they'd have about as much luck trying to teach a dalek to tap-dance.

Sneering, the leader replied, "Doctor? You look like no medicine man."

One of the spear wielders growled, "They're spies, vassals for those of whom we don't speak!"

"Silence!" barked the leader but it was too late. The Doctor's curiosity was peaked.

"Ohhhh? 'Those of whom we don't speak?' Who are they then? Go on, you can tell me. You must speak about them sometimes, or else you wouldn't all know who he was talking about. Then again, 'those of whom we only speak sometimes' doesn't quite have that same ominous feel to it that brings in the tourists, am I right?" babbled the Doctor.

"That's enough!" snapped their head captor, who was quickly losing his patience. His next words were to his men, "keep the spears on them. They're coming back with us."

They were lead through the thicket, along a trail that had wasn't often travelled by if the dense undergrowth and lack of obvious path was anything to go by, yet their captors seemed to know exactly where they were going and stayed in line with ease whilst keeping their spears trained on them unwaveringly.

Donna huffed as a branch snagged on her hair for what felt like the hundredth time. "Where the bloody hell are they taking us? I swear if we end up having our clothes stripped off and being sacrificed to their god..."

Rose giggled. "You know, that doesn't happen nearly as often as the cliché would have you believe."

"But it _does_ happen?" Donna asked, shooting her a pointed look.

"It does if you're Rose," muttered the Doctor, earning him an indignant elbow prod from the blonde in question. "Oi, it's not _my_ fault you're like catnip to delusional alien tribes who like to sacrifice pretty blondes!" retorted the Doctor, a tad disgruntled.

"You think I'm pretty?" asked Rose, turning to look at him with a tongue-touched smile.

He arched an eyebrow, "nice to know your priorities are still in order."

They held each other's gaze as their hands gravitated towards each other and their fingers entwined. The moment was rudely interrupted when a spear poked the Doctor in the shoulder blade. "Oi, do you mind? That bloody hurts!" he complained, turning his head to glare at the offending captor.

"Keep moving," was the man's terse reply.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes unhappily but nevertheless continued walking, cheering up ever so slightly when Rose rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand in silent sympathy.

The trail eventually opened up as they left the trees and walked into a large clearing. The space was interspersed with small, wooden huts, each one skirted with well-groomed flowering shrubs. Upon closer inspection they could see that the smoothly sanded wood was ornamented with intricate floral carvings.

However, all of the residents seemed to be outside. Villagers weaved between the huts, some carrying bowls of fruit or piles of cloth or wood. Outside one hut, an elderly woman was weaving a basket while sitting close to her a young boy played with a carved animal of some sort. At another hut a younger woman was laying wet clothes over a wooden rail to dry. It was all so… normal. They all looked so at home in this quaint little village nestled in the vast surrounding forest.

Their arrival, however, seemed to unsettle the peace. Each villager stopped what they were doing to stare at them as they passed. The sudden silence was deafening and all of the eyes now trained on them caused hairs to rise on the back of their neck as they were lead further into the village.

"I'm guessing they don't get many visitors," muttered Donna.

"I feel like I'm in a funeral march," added Rose quietly, trying not to meet anyone's eye.

"Oh come on you two, don't be so negative! They could be perfectly nice people for all you know!" admonished the Doctor, his normal boisterous voice making the girls cringe with its seeming loudness.

In the centre of the village lay a large stone-lined circle, a blackened pit at its centre where fires had burned. They stood by the circle and were turned to face an open sided hut, inside which sat a very old female, garlanded in shiny metals and dyed fabrics. She sat cross legged, her head down and eyes closed, looking very tired.

"The village elder," whispered the Doctor absently.

"I heard that!" she barked. Two sharp eyes opened to glare directly at the Doctor. "I have a name, son. It's Baba Yaga and you would do well to remember it."

"Oh?" said the Doctor in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't think you could hear…"

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that so? You think I'm deaf as well as senile?"

The Doctor looked like he was at a bit of a loss. "Umm sorry, I meant no offence."

She got to her feet with surprising agility and held a firm grip on her staff as she quickly made her way over to the Doctor, not stopping until she was less than an arm's length away from him and stared up with glaring eyes. However, even standing at full height, the top of her white-haired head barely reached the Doctor's elbow height.

The Doctor stared down at her in bewilderment. Quick as a flash, she had his tie in a tight grip and with an undignified yelp, he found himself tugged down to her eye level. Her piercing orbs bore into his unnervingly while all he could do was stare back and gape like a stunned fish.

"You have a lot of gall, traveller," she said after a few moments.

"What?" spluttered the Doctor, wholly unhappy that she still had his favourite tie in a death grip and wondering the point of this rather embarrassing exercise.

She arched a thick eyebrow. "Calling me old," she scoffed, "I may have seen my fair share of winters but compared to you, I'm as fresh as a yearling. So many centuries swim in your eyes… "

The Doctor swallowed uncomfortably. He didn't like strangers reading him so accurately when it was outside of his control. However, before he could spend much thought on it, the old woman's searching eyes suddenly came back into focus, though this time sharpened with mischief. "And for your information _old man_ the correct term is 'Wise Woman.'" She released his tie but not before thumping him on the head with her staff, to emphasise her point.

"Ouch!" the Doctor yelped, backing away from the violent old bat and rubbing his poor abused head. Already he could feel a bump growing and made an expression dangerously close to a pout. "What did you do that for?"

"Knowledge at a price is held all the tighter," she answered, as though her methods were completely justified.

He frowned as a light chuckle sounded from beside him. He turned to see Rose stifling another giggle, looking up at him with unrestrained mirth. "You have to admit, she's good," she said, accenting her words with another escaped chuckle.

Baba turned her attention towards Rose, her expression shifting as she regarded the young woman, so bright and full of life, shining like a golden star.

Frowning at Rose's teasing, the Doctor missed the elder's scrutiny. Instead, when he turned back she was smiling warmly at them. "Please," she said, opening her arms. "You have travelled far, strangers, stay the night, we will give you shelter and a warm meal."

"Thanks for the offer," said Donna, but we should probably be heading on, places to see and all that."

Baba frowned, "but it is getting dark and the forest is dangerous at night. You have no protection and we have none to spare."

"Getting dark?" quizzed Donna, looking up at the blinding light of the planet's suns. "It's nowhere near dark! It must be what, mid-afternoon?"

The elder spoke with a tone one used to tell a child something they should already know. "The closest sun is still high and its light fills the sky most intensely, however its cycle is very short and its sisters are already setting. Nightfall will come soon, trust a native, dear."

Hearing the word 'dangerous' the Doctor balked, so much for keeping Rose safe. His instincts told him to get back to the TARDIS but he didn't want to risk the forest if they were vulnerable, it would be just his luck that they'd run into trouble. Therefore, with a heavy sigh he accepted the elder's kind offer and thanked her for her generous hospitality while insisting they must leave first thing in the morning. The elder seemed happy with this bargain.

"Wonderful!" said Baba. She clapped her hands together while shouting, "Prepare the meal!"

The villagers who had remained quiet and watchful through the exchange suddenly burst into life, bustling about with pots and food as they got dinner ready.

Rose smiled at the elder and thanked her, taking the Doctor's hand in hers instinctively and grinning as the elder waved them off, showing little patience for their thanks and ordering Rose and her group, in her bossy manner, to make themselves at home.

It was as they walked away, the Doctor's hand entwined tightly with Rose's that he said the magic words. "Let's go explore, shall we?"

* * *

TBC

Sorry this took so long! Feel free to badger me if the next chapter isn't up soon because it shouldn't take long at all :D


End file.
